My son loves the pool, especially on these hot summer days. Sometimes, pool water gets stuck in one of his ears. It eventually drains out, but I am concerned that the pool water may be hurting his ears. What should I know?
Your son may not have a care in the world as jumps into the pool and splashes his friends, but you are right to keep his ears in mind. A condition called swimmer’s ear, an infection of the outer ear, can indeed develop when the otitis externa — the ear canal from the eardrum to the outer opening — is exposed to excessive moisture. Moisture in and of itself isn’t so bad, but it creates a fertile environment for the bacterial growth that can lead to infection.
The ear has an efficient system for keeping itself clean and healthy. Glands connected to the ear produce cerumen — commonly called ear wax. The ear wax coats the canal with a thin protective layer as it slowly makes it way to the ear’s opening, cleaning dirt and dead skin particles as it goes. The cerumen also creates a particular acidic balance that helps keep bacteria from growing. Moisture throws the acidity balance off, allowing bacteria to prosper.
But don’t let the name swimmer’s ear fool you — numerous things can invite bacteria into your otitis externa: cotton swabs irritate the fragile skin of the canal and take away the cerumen’s protective coating and hearing aids, ear plugs, and ear bugs, if not cleaned before reuse, can literally press the bacteria into the canal. If ambient particles from perfume or hairspray enter the ear canal, they too can irritate.
If your son tells you that his ear is hurting him, especially when he tugs on the lobe or touches the area right outside the opening, his ear should be evaluated for possible infection. Even if the symptoms feel mild to him, his ear should be looked at by a pediatrician. Left untreated, the infection can become more severe, with increasing pain, decreasing hearing, and the potential to spread to surrounding tissue and bone.
Treatment usually includes eardrops that include antibiotics to fight bacteria and steroids to decrease swelling. It is important that the drops be continued throughout the prescribed course, even if the symptoms have disappeared. Over-the-counter pain relievers may also be recommended for any pain associated with swimmer’s ear. To prevent swimmer’s ear, encourage your son to thoroughly dry the outside of his ear when he gets out of the water. If water remains stuck in the ear, lean the head to the side and jump a few times to dislodge it.
